


Together Again

by Tshilaba



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-28
Updated: 2015-11-28
Packaged: 2018-05-03 19:08:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5303288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tshilaba/pseuds/Tshilaba
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes, it's worth fighting against the things we've always known in order to obtain something that we care for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Together Again

The two friends were sitting in the Sacred Forest Meadow, chatting quietly.  
  
"She's really nice," Link said. "Intelligent and funny. But..."  
  
"But what?" Saria asked her friend.  
  
"Even if I wanted to be with her, I couldn't," the blond said quietly.  
  
"Why ever not?"  
  
"Ganondorf, her guardian, wouldn't allow it. Zelda's been forbidden to have relations with anyone outside the Gerudo tribe," he answered.  
  
"She's seeing you now. You're visiting her this afternoon, aren't you?" the girl asked.  
  
"Well, yeah. And I really do like her. But I just don't think this could end well."  
  
"Now, Link," Saria said gently, patting her friend's hand. "I'm sure it will all play out okay in the end. And I'll always be by your side, even if you can't see me."  
  
***  
  
"I'm sorry, Link," Zelda said. "But I really can't be with you anymore."  
  
"Can't we at least be friends?" Link protested. But he knew it was in vain.  
  
"I'm so very sorry. But our friendship has to end as well." And with that, she disappeared back inside the castle walls.  
  
The blond just stood there in disbelief, everything replaying in his mind.  
  
The first time Zelda had embraced him. The first time she'd admitted she loved him, and how deeply those feelings had been felt. The first time she'd kissed him.  
  
Every time they'd laughed. Every time they'd fought.  
  
He swallowed hard and turned around, striding back to the Kokiri Forest.  
  
***  
  
"Oh, Link. I thought you'd be with Zelda this afternoon. I wasn't exactly expecting to see you here," the sage said. Then she noticed her friend's aura. "Link? What's wrong?"  
  
"...I won't be spending time with Zelda anymore. She's ended everything, including our friendship."  
  
Saria sighed softly. "You're not giving up, are you?"  
  
"She's left me three times already."  
  
"Four, if you count when Ganondorf found out about you and forced her to break up with you."  
  
The blond remained silent, watching the sky.  
  
The sage knew her friend was remembering every moment he'd spent with the princess.  
  
"Link... Are you going to try to save her? I mean, the Sages have told me she's the rightful heir to the Hylian throne. She's of age to take the throne, and yet she stays with Ganondorf. He's made no move to take over Hyrule, so his motive must be to simply keep her within the Gerudo Tribe..."  
  
"I can't save her unless she wants to be saved," Link said solemnly. "And it looks like she would rather stay with someone that would oppress her..."  
  
"Well, keeping her from having a relationship with you may be the only thing he's forbidden her from. So, it's not really oppressing her. At least, not where most would see."  
  
The blond sighed heavily.  
  
"Link, why don't we go home for now? Maybe over time we'll figure out what to do."  
  
He nodded and followed his friend.  
  
***  
  
"NO!"  
  
"Navi, please--"  
  
"No, don't you get it? That's stupid. And you and I are both aware of it."  
  
"Navi, I still love her, even now. And if she really--"  
  
"LINK! OF ALL THE STUPID, ASSININE THIGS YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED IN MY PRESENCE, THIS IS THE STUPIDEST AND MOST ASSININE!"  
  
The blond flinched.  
  
"What's with the yelling?"  
  
"Saria! Thank the Great Fairy," Link said, relieved.  
  
"Hey. Navi, why are you yelling?"  
  
"Never you mind," the fairy said, zipping past the sage through the still open door.  
  
"O...kay. Weird. Anyway, how are you?" Saria asked.  
  
"Okay."  
  
"You're not."  
  
Link shook his head. "It's been a month. Navi's mad at me. I've heard no word from Zelda at all. Though, I managed to sneak to the castle the other day and I glimpsed her in the garden."  
  
"Why's Navi mad at you? Is it because you still can't stop loving Zelda, even after all the times she's hurt you?"  
  
"Yeah. Navi... Well she doesn't think that I should try to get Zelda back, even as a friend. But I just can't... I can't stop thinking about her. And even just being friends would be better than this ache."  
  
"Well, you have to follow your heart, Link."  
  
"What am I risking though?"  
  
Saria sat down on the floor across from her friend. She pulled out her ocarina. "What do you believe you are risking?" she asked quietly, bringing the instrument to her lips and playing softly.  
  
"Well, if I try to bring Zelda back into my life, I could very easily lose you, Navi, and everyone else I hold dear. And even if I do bring her back..."  
  
The sage stopped playing. "There's no guarantee she won't leave you again."  
  
"Exactly. And then I wouldn't have anyone."  
  
The girl nodded and went back to playing her ocarina, the soft music filling the room.  
  
"Saria, what do you think?" Link said after a while.  
  
"Hmm?" She stopped playing and looked at her friend curiously.  
  
"I mean, about this whole situation. Zelda was fighting her upbringing just to be with me. I truly believed she needed me, more than likely still does, in every sense of the word. And she was fighting herself just to satisfy that need."  
  
"That's exactly it," Saria said gently. "She _was_ fighting herself. And she's lost for now. But one day, she'll realize that she has to follow her heart and that Ganondorf has corrupted her."  
  
"And when is one day?" the blond sighed. "Even you've had enough of her hurting me though, Saria. What then?"  
  
"Then she'll learn a painful lesson. And hopefully all involved can heal."  
  
That was all the sage would say on the matter.  
  
***  
  
Time passed on and the seasons changed, the land changing as well.  
  
Link sat on the fence watching the Lon-Lon horses grazing in their corral.  
  
"Mr. Link!" a voice called.  
  
The blond glanced in the direction of the voice and spotted Malon, the girl who ran the ranch with her father, coming over, a bottle of milk in her hands.  
  
"Here you go. Father figured you might be thirsty," she said, smiling.  
  
"Thanks," Link answered, smiling in return and taking the bottle from the brunette.  
  
"If you want to take Epona for a ride, you're more than welcome to. Father says you can take her any time you like."  
  
"Oh? Well, thank you then. I'll keep that in mind."  
  
Malon nodded. "Well, I have to get back to work. See you later!"  
  
The blond sighed and sipped the milk that had been brought to him.  
  
It had been a while since he'd ridden the horse, but Epona was sure to remember him. She still came right to him every time he visited the ranch.  
  
_Yeah. I think I will go for a ride. Maybe it will help me think..._  
  
***  
  
He sighed and looked out over Lake Hylia.  
  
_"I'd love to live in the north Zora river. Think of it, love. Just you and me."_  
  
The words echoed in the blond's head and he felt a tear slide down his cheek. Even if all logic spoke against it, he couldn't stop caring, couldn't stop wanting to see her again. Even after all the pain...  
  
Epona nudged his shoulder gentlly.  
  
Link chuckled softly and petted the horse. "It's okay, girl."  
  
The two sat in silence for a while until a voice reached their ears.  
  
"...I just wanted to let you know that he'd found out again, but I was forbidden to tell you. Personally, I don't care if you believe me; I just wanted to clear that up."  
  
"Zelda, wait--" the blond started as the princess started to turn away.  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"I do believe you. Really."  
  
The blonde eyed him warily. "Truthfully? I mean, you're not just telling me what I want to hear, are you?"  
  
"No." Link shook his head. "If anything, I'm saying what I _need_ to hear."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"I've been so worried about you," he blurted. "Really, I have. I thought I'd never hear from you again."  
  
"...If I listened to everything Ganondorf told me, you wouldn't have..." she whispered, avoiding the blond's eyes.  
  
"Heh."  
  
"Well, I guess I should be leaving--"  
  
"Wait. Zelda... I still care about you, you know. Really."  
  
"Oh, Link. I still care about you too. But I can't be with you like that..."  
  
The blond shook his head. "No, it's fine. I wouldn't mind just being friends though."  
  
"Truly? I mean, after everything I've done, I would have thought you'd pick your loved ones over me. After all, I did pick mine over you."  
  
"Yes, truly. And you _are_ one of my loved ones, Zelda. So I can't just let you go."  
  
The princess chuckled softly. "After all I've done to you, you still come back. You really are the hero, Link. Even when the damsel in distress causes distress, you still want to save her."  
  
Link shrugged. "I've always cared about you, Zelda. I just adapted my feelings to what you needed at the time."  
  
The blonde smiled softly but then sighed. "They won't like it..."  
  
"I'm sure they'll understand," he answered.  
  
"I hope so," Zelda murmured. "But I have to go. Ganondorf will wonder where I've disappeared to. Can you be here at noon tomorrow?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
The girl nodded. "Okay. I'll try to be here as close to then as possible. Whenever I can get away."  
  
Link nodded. "Before you go, can I have a hug?"  
  
The princess laughed. "Of course you can, dear."  
  
He hugged her gently and bid her farewell, watching her disappear over the hill.  
  
***  
  
"NO!"  
  
"But, Navi--"  
  
"Link, NO. I think it's in your best interest to just let her go," the fairy insisted. "Instead of bringing her back, and pain along with her."  
  
"I feel like she's sincere," Link started to protest.  
  
"I don't care. People can change, and she can just as easily change again."  
  
"Navi, you're not being fair--"  
  
"She wasn't being fair to you when she left you!" the fairy shot back, flickering in anger.  
  
"Ganondorf forced her to though, Navi. I'm sure if she'd had her way, she wouldn't have left me. Maybe ended our relationship, but not left me."  
  
"Ha!" Navi laughed scornfully. "And can you prove that?"  
  
"No, but..."  
  
"No 'but's', Link. I don't believe it. She's left you too many times before. Even if she _did_ change, she'll change again."  
  
The blond sighed. "I hate when you're mad at me."  
  
"What, you think I'm _mad_?" the fairy asked. "No, I'm not mad. Merely disappointed in you because you're letting your emotions control your decisions again. And I don't want to see you hurt again."  
  
"Okay," Link sighed.  
  
***  
  
"You still have feelings for her, don't you?"  
  
"Yeah. But I just want her as a friend," Link answered. "That's all."  
  
"Well," Midna said, her normal jokes-bordering-on-insults mood gone in light of helping her friend. "In the end, you have to follow your heart, sweetheart."  
  
"But if I do try to get her back, what if everyone leaves me?"  
  
"We're not gonna leave you, hun," the demon said gently. "We'll support you no matter what."  
  
"Navi doesn't think I should try to get Zelda back."  
  
The girl shrugged, brushing her hair off her sholder. "She might disprove of your decision, and she may be disappointed in it, but she won't leave you."  
  
"So, I should just follow my heart?"  
  
Midna nodded.  
  
"But what if it brings pain?"  
  
"Can it bring more than you already have?"  
  
"If I lose _everyone_..."  
  
"Well, if that's the only thing that will bring more pain, then you have your answer."  
  
"Thanks, Midna."  
  
"Anytime, Link."  
  
***  
  
"So she spoke with you and she wants to be friends too?" Saria said. "This is wonderful!"  
  
"Yeah, but Navi doesn't want me to. She keeps telling me to just let Zelda go."  
  
"Well, you do have to follow your heart. And I've told you I'm always by your side, whether you can see me or not. I'll support you no matter what. In fact, I'm happy she wants to at least try to mend things."  
  
"Heh. I still need to tell Nabooru about this. She is dear to me, just like you."  
  
The sage nodded. "She might be hard to get in touch with though. Her periods of antisocial feelings and all."  
  
"It can't hurt to try," Link said. "And I want her to know."  
  
"Send a message by Kaepora Gaebora. He should be able to find her, if anyone can."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Don't mention it. As long as you're happy, so am I."  
  
***  
  
"So, you see, I'm torn over this," the blond explained. "I want her back, but I don't want anyone upset with me. Navi keeps insisting I shouldn't take her back, even as a friend, but..."  
  
"Personally, I don't think you should either."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"What's to guarantee she won't 'change her mind again'? I've seen it happen before, and it's hard for people to change their stripes."  
  
"So the opinions are divided..."  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"I asked my friends what they thought, because I knew if I just went with my first impulse then I would have regretted it, and I knew I couldn't think through this logically. Midna and Saria just want me to follow my heart. Navi and yourself don't want me anywhere near her. I don't want anyone upset with me..."  
  
"Link," Nabooru sighed. "I'll only be upset if you're hurt again. I hate to see you hurt."  
  
Link sighed. "I just really think she's sincere this time, and I really want to give friendship a shot. I wanna try and repair this..."  
  
The Gerudo nodded. "I understand."  
  
"But I don't want to lose anyone."  
  
"I'll support you no matter what your decision. Even if I don't particularly like it."  
  
"Thank you, Nabooru. I think maybe, that's all I really needed was to hear that."  
  
"You're welcome, Link."  
  
***  
  
"You're finally here."  
  
"Sorry," Link apologized. "There was a bit of a problem back at the ranch and they were using Epona when I got there."  
  
Zelda nodded, staring silently out over the waters of Lake Hylia.  
  
"They don't want you to let me back into your life. That's understandable."  
  
"Well, Navi and Nabooru don't. But all of them have said they will support my decision no matter what it is. And I do want to mend what we have. I miss when we hardly ever had to speak because we could guess what the other was thinking."  
  
"Do you think we can get back to that?"  
  
"If we try."  
  
The blonde turned to face him, a small smile on her lips. "I'd like to try, if you would."  
  
Link nodded. "I would."  
  
The princess' smile widened and she stepped forward, wrapping her arms around the blond's neck and hugging him before stepping back.  
  
Link smiled in return. "It will be hard if you still stay with Ganondorf, though."  
  
Zelda's smile faded a bit. "I know... But I have a guardian to the northeast that may be able to take me in soon..."  
  
"That's closer to the Kokiri Forest," the blond mused.  
  
The princess nodded, smiling softly. "It'd be easier to visit each other, and we wouldn't have to worry about Ganondorf..."  
  
"Who's your guardian?"  
  
"Impa. She's one of the race of the Sheikah. They have a village at the foot of Death Mountain. They are the protectors of the Hylian Royal Family..."  
  
_"She's the rightful heir to the Hylian throne. She's of age to take the throne..."_  
  
The sage's words echoed in his head. Did she know? And if she didn't... No, it wasn't his place.  
  
"And then there's-- Link, are you even listening to me?"  
  
The pout on the blonde's face was enough to make her friend double over in laughter.  
  
"What's so funny?"  
  
"I just realized how much I missed your pouting," Link laughed, holding his side.  
  
"Oh, _you_!" She punched him in the arm playfully. "Meanie!" she accused, sticking her tongue out at him.  
  
"Least I'm not being childish," he countered good naturedly.  
  
Zelda laughed. "Fair enough."  
  
_Yeah. I think this just might work.... We work better together than apart. And it's good to be together again._


End file.
